Impatiens plant named ‘TiRe’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Impatiens walleriana  plant named ‘TiRe’, characterized by large red fully double flowers, flowers that are positioned above or beyond the foliage, good heat tolerance, dark green foliage and mounded, freely branching and dense plant habit.

BACKGROUND—FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar botanicallyknown as Impatiens walleriana, and by the cultivar name ‘TiRe’.

The cultivar of the photograph was developed and selected in acontrolled breeding program in a controlled environment in Coquille,Oreg. by the inventors, Harlan Cosner and Sue Cosner, as describedherein.

BACKGROUND—DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

The closest known cultivar of prior art is named ‘Salsa Red’, subject ofU.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,606.

COMPARISON

The impatiens plant of the present invention differs from prior plants,namely, Salsa Red in at least the following ways:

1. The flowers of the present invention have brighter color than ‘SalsaRed’; and

2. The ‘Salsa Red’ impatiens plant often has flowers that have deformedcenters, while the impatiens plants of the present cultivar have muchbetter flower form with fewer deformities.

These and other characteristics will be apparent to persons skilled inthe art.

BACKGROUND—DISCOVERY

The present cultivar was developed by standard cross-pollination. Itsseed parent is a semi-double impatiens plant with red flowers. Thisplant was designated B-9X-31 under the inventors' controlled breedingprogram. The pollen parent is a pollen-producing double impatiens plantwith red flowers. This plant was designated B-9X-13 under the inventors'controlled breeding program. The parent plants are not the subject ofany granted or pending application. The cross was made in the inventors'controlled breeding program, and the first asexual reproduction was madeat Broadbent, Oreg. Successive asexually reproduced generations haveshown the present invention to be stable. Each asexually reproducedgeneration has been accomplished using lateral stems with leaves.

The traits of the cultivar of the present invention that have beenobserved in each successive generation of asexual reproduction and whichare unique are the large bright red male and female sterile fully doubleflowers, flowers that are positioned above or beyond the foliage, goodheat tolerance, dark green foliage and mounded, freely branching anddense plant habit.

Color references are according to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary signficance areused.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and description of the plantsand flowers are based on the environmental and cultural practices atCoquille, Oreg. The following measurements, values and comparisonsdescribe plants grown under a double layer of polyethylene film withtemperatures typically ranging from about 55° F. to about 85° F. duringthe daytime. Night heat was provided by bench top set at 62° F. Theindividual plants were grown in six-inch Azalea containers in a soilessmedium. Plants were liquid fed with high nitrate plus trace elementsapplied at N level 150 PPM of two successive feedings followed by oneleaching with clear water. Plants started in the last week of June andfinished in late September. The light levels were 4,000 to 6,000 ft.candles.

The plant of the present invention has not been observed in all possibleenvironmental and/or cultural conditions. The phenotype may varysignificantly with variations in environment such as temperature, lightlevel, humidity and also with cultural practices such as fertility, soiland water quality.

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance and theflower color of the cultivar of the present invention described herein.The photograph was taken of a mature plant 14 weeks old during fullinflorescence. There may be variations between the colors in thephotograph and the colors in the following description due to lightreflectance, or the amount of blue or red light captured in the film. Ifsuch variations occur, the written description shall control.

Parentage: The new cultivar was developed by standard cross-pollination.As noted above, its seed parent was a semi-double with large redflowers; its pollen parent was a pollen-producing double with redcolored flowers.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Lateral stems with leaves were the cuttings used forasexual reproduction.

Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 7 to 14 days at 72° F. soiltemperature.

Appearance and form of plant:

Plant form and habit.—Mounded, with a medium vigorous, dense and bushygrowing habit. A free branching habit.

Plant size.—Height is about 20 cm and width is about 40 cm.

Root description.—The rooting habit is characterized by numerous,fibrous and well-branched roots.

Branching habit.—Plants are self-branching. Stems are strong and freelyproduced. The number of stems depends upon cultural practices, age ofstems used as cuttings and the number of growth buds present on thecutting when stuck. The observed plant's average stem length is about 20cm. Each stem generally produces about three laterals.

Stems.—Diameter is about 0.7 cm. Internode length is about 2 cm. Coloris 146B with darker markings that that are hard to distinguish due totheir small size but appear close to 183C or 187C. The observed plant'sstem texture is smooth.

Foliage.—Leaves are simple, generally symmetrical, abundant, alternateand flat. Shape is ovate with attenuate base, acuminate apex, andcrenate margin. Texture is smooth and satiny. The observed plant's leafvenation pattern is similar to other plants having similar leaf shapes,with single veins branching upwardly off from the central, longitudinalaxis of each leaf, along the length of the axis, toward the margin ofthe leaf and forming an acute angle relative to the axis.

Foliage size.—Size of the largest leaves is about 6.5 cm in length, and4.5 cm in width.

Foliage color.—Adaxial color is closest to 147A, venation color 147B;abaxial color is 147B with darker markings close to 177A, venation color148A.

Petioles.—Petiole shape is half round with a flat upper surfacemeasuring about 3 mm wide, about 2 mm in depth, and about 1.5 cm inlength. Color on the top is 148B with reddish hard to determine markingswhich appear close to 178B. Bottom color is 146C.

Flower size.—Diameter of about 5.2 cm, and depth of about 2 cm.

Flower texture.—The flower texture is smooth and satiny.

Flower count.—Flowers per stem usually number about 12 to 15 fromvisible buds to open flowers at a time during the flowering period.

Flower fragrance.—No discernible fragrance.

Natural flowering season.—Year around under greenhouse conditions, andthe frost-free period from spring through fall outdoors.

Duration of flowering.—Continuous throughout the flowering season.

Time to flower.—About six weeks from a rooted cutting.

Bud.—Ovate shape with length of about 1.2 cm, width of about 1 cm anddepth of about 1 cm. Color of top is 143C with reddish markings that arehard to determine due to their small size but appear close to 172A to172B. Bottom color is 142C to 142D.

Petal size and shape.—Shape is obovate to exaggerated obovate, cuneatebase, entire margin, obtuse to retuse apex. Usually two petals fused atbase comprise the largest petals, each being about 2 cm wide and 2.7 cmlong.

Petal color.—Adaxial is 42A, with abaxial color is 44D.

Petal count.—Numerous, generally 25 or more.

Spur.—Shape is acicular tapering tube, usually curved. Color at apex is183B fading close to 178B at sepal with a greenish tint that is hard todetermine, but which appear close to 199A to 199B. Length is about 3.25cm and width at base is about 2 mm.

Calyx.—The calyx consists of a single sepal. The sepal shape is obovate,acuminate to acute apex, obtuse base and entire margin. Length is about1.5 cm and width is about 0.7 cm. Adaxial color is 142D with centerblotch close to 60C; abaxial color is 142C to 142D.

Peduncles.—Length is about 2.25 cm and diameter is about 2 mm. Color is146B to 146C with small hard to determine streaks close to 178B.Peduncles have a smooth texture.

Pedicels.—Usually numbering 2 or 3, each having a length of about 2.5 cmand diameter of about 1.5 mm. Color is 146C with reddish hard todetermine streaks close to 178B. Pedicels have a smooth texture.

Reproductive organs.—The plants of the new cultivar are both male andfemale sterile. No reproductive organs have been found to exist.

Disease resistance.—‘TiRe’ has shown good resistance to botrytis.

Rooting ability.—Easy, no hormones are needed.

Cold/heat resistance.—‘TiRe’ and ‘Salsa Red’ were grown side by sideunder shade cloth in Alva, Fla. during late spring through July. Theoutdoor temperatures were in the 90° F.+ degree temperature range.‘Salsa Red’ did not branch as well as ‘TiRe’. The flowers of ‘Salsa Red’had many unformed petaloids resulting in flowers that tended to looksingle to semi-double, and the flower color was less intense than theflower color of ‘TiRe’. The flower shape of ‘TiRe’ was also withoutnoticeable deformities.

What is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Impatiens wallerianaplant as illustrated and as described herein.